Prepaid Cell phone in Brazil

[mvan1]

I moved your question about phones into a new thread because your question does not related to the price of garotos at dinner or overnight.

It is called "hijacking" to bring up a new topic in an established thread.

Hey Guys, follow up question, I have unlocked Iphone and plan to buy sim card there with a data plan so i can use the google translate app that will help talking with the Brasileros when i am not connected in wifi, like at the mall or strolling outside.

Anyone bought sim card there and used it ? any advise ?

Thanks !!!

Provided your telephone is truly "unlocked" from your carrier, you should be able to buy and use a SIM card in Brazil. You can buy SIM cards on the street but I would advise against that . This is because you have to register the SIM card and you will not understand what is being asked of you while registering. Also, you probably do not have a CPF number which you would need if you try to register a street purchased SIM card.

Alternatively, you can go to the telephone companies of the various telephone providers in Brazil and they will sell a SIM card to you and register it for you using your passport number. Therefore, be sure to make a copy of the data information of your passport so that you can bring the copy with you to whichever phone company you select. Don't bring your original passport.

Remember to bring your telephone with you to the phone company so that the agent can get the SIM card up and running.

I personally use TIM as my Brazil telephone carrier. TIM coverage is not as good as some other carriers in Brazil, but it is okay in most areas.

You must tell the telephone company that you want a "prepaid" or "prepago" plan. A prepaid plan costs about R3. daily on days you use the phone for data use.

If you call other telephone numbers that use the same telephone company provider you use, there will not be any charge or the charge will be only twenty-five centavos for the entire call up to one hour in duration. If you call to other cell numbers with different providers, you will pay as much as R$1.59 each minute.

Considering you plan to use a translator with the SIM card, you definitely need a data plan. Try to make this clear to the person at whichever telephone company you choose.

Don't be frustrated if the people at the phone company do not speak English. You can "wing it" and get the SIM card working in less than an hour from the time you first buy the card until it is functional.

Good luck

[Guest callipygian]

What?

mvan has this power? Well, at least then move the entire thread - if so.

[mvan1]

What?

mvan has this power? Well, at least then move the entire thread - if so.

You misunderstood. I said I moved his question, not the thread.

The thread is titled -

How much do you pay Garotos for dinner and overnight ?

What does a cell phone have to do with how much to pay a garoto for dinner or an overnight?

For those who actually travel to Brazil, it is useful to know how to obtain a working cell phone while there.

Consequently, the topic of a cell phone deserves its own thread rather than the topic being buried with an unrelated subject.

Oh, and it is NOT a "power" to copy a question and repost the question in a new thread.

[Guest callipygian]

You misunderstood. I said I moved his question, not the thread.

What does a cell phone have to do with how much to pay a garoto for dinner or an overnight?

Well, everything actually, if you might find yourself using any common form of NFC technology for mobile phone payments today.

The question was originally about SIM cards, IIRC. And even if not - Shouldn't moving threads or questions here be left up to forum management?

[mvan1]

Well, everything actually, if you might find yourself using any common form of NFC technology for mobile phone payments today.

The question was originally about SIM cards, IIRC. And even if not - Shouldn't moving threads or questions here be left up to forum management?

Are you joking?

There is a lot of discussion against hijacking threads.

The post concerning cell phones had absolutely nothing to do with that thread concerning how much to pay garotos for dinner or overnights.

I am puzzled why you do not see that. That is why I think you might be joking with your postings.

The issue of a cell phone in Brazil interests many who travel to Brazil. Many readers will be helped by my information.

Starting a new thread and moving the related question concerning a Brazil cell phone should hardly be the basis for such responses by you.

Please tell me that you are joking!

[Guest callipygian]

I am not joking and please explain to me how doing what you just did was NOT HIJACKING another members post. Who are you to leverage such authority here?

[mvan1]

I am not joking and please explain to me how doing what you just did was NOT HIJACKING another members post. Who are you to leverage such authority here?

It is called helping other readers, but you apparently are incapable of seeing that.

The person who made the unrelated post is new to the forum. He is excited about his upcoming trip to Brazil. I feel certain that he did not intend to hijack the thread.

In this world, we have some people who like to help other people. On the other hand, we also have people who enjoy being difficult.

If you were a traveler to Brazil, I think you might appreciate a thread on Brazil cell phones.

I am puzzled why you are so worked up over this trivial matter.

[wncdemcub]

As a new reader I am glad that this was moved to a separate thread, otherwise I might have missed it...Having a phone that works in Brazil is something I am thinking about.

Thanks

[mvan1]

As a new reader I am glad that this was moved to a separate thread, otherwise I might have missed it...Having a phone that works in Brazil is something I am thinking about.

Thanks

You are welcome.

Even if you visit Brazil only a week or so, it might be a good idea to get a cell phone SIM card. I visit there many times each year and I would be lost without my telephone.

Calling from Brazil using roaming on a U S telephone is outlandishly expensive. Using a local SIM card can be very inexpensive. There are lots of ways I use my phone in Brazil. I not only communicate with garotos and other friends in Brazil, I receive telephone calls from my friends and clients in the U.S. without having to pay a charge for a call. They dial a local U S number which rings me in Brazil and neither of us has to pay for the call. This is entirely legal and is advertised in the U S as a possibility. Without a local SIM card, this feature will not work in Brazil without charge.

If you plan to visit the saunas and if you meet a garoto that you like, you most definitely will want a cell phone for making future plans with the garoto.

I mentioned that I use TIM as my cell phone provider in Brazil. There are other carriers, such as OI, Claro and Vivo in addition to TIM.

Depending if you are in Rio or Sao Paulo, it is relatively easy to purchase a working SIM from a local department store.

The easiest and quickest would be to go (in Rio or Sao Paulo) to a chain department store named "Lojas Americanas" a chain with several branches in those cities.

If you are lucky, you will find an employee who speaks a little bit of English. If you are not, just bring your unlocked cell phone with you to the store and look for a kiosk displaying one of the logos mentioned above. TIM is the most common in Rio and Sao Paulo. However, any of the carriers I mentioned above will be fine.

While you are in the U.S., you might want to use google translator and print out a page in Portuguese saying that you are American and that you want to purchase a prepaid SIM plan with data. I already mentioned the costs in my earlier post. The SIM must be registered. A copy of your passport is sufficient to have the SIM registered in Brazil.

If you are curious about some of the things you can buy using TIM, take a look at its web site. Here is the web address;

www.tim.com.br

The site is in Portuguese but there is an option to switch to English. Go to the upper right hand side of the home page in the search box and type in - TIM+INGLES

If you cannot get the web site to change to English, go to google search and then enter -" tim.com.br English language".

This should bring up a link that will take you to the English section of TIM telephone company in Brazil.

Happy travels to Brazil

[MsGuy]

Mvan 1, I love that kind of detailed descriptions of services and step by step directions.

Many folks skip over stuff they consider obvious, to the confusion of their less knowledgeable readers.

[mvan1]

Mvan 1, I love that kind of detailed descriptions of services and step by step directions.

Many folks skip over stuff they consider obvious, to the confusion of their less knowledgeable readers.

Thank you for the compliment.

I was a bit concerned that my explanations might be too long or boring for most readers.

Before I decided to stick only to my regular profession, which allows me to travel extensively, I taught about twelve years at a major university. Although I love teaching, it was confining for someone like me who enjoys extensive travel.

I guess it is the professor in me that tries to get others to learn. This is the reason that some of my posts contain a lot of information. Perhaps, sometimes, too much information.

Thanks again.

[TotallyOz]

I did get a SIM years ago when I was in Sao Paulo for a few months. It was a true PITA. It was nice to have, but it took me a few hours in the shop to get it and get all the paperwork done. They wanted other papers and not just a passport. Maybe the laws have changed over time but I did find it very hard for me. I'll try again on the next trip. Thanks for the heads up advice.

[mvan1]

I did get a SIM years ago when I was in Sao Paulo for a few months. It was a true PITA. It was nice to have, but it took me a few hours in the shop to get it and get all the paperwork done. They wanted other papers and not just a passport. Maybe the laws have changed over time but I did find it very hard for me. I'll try again on the next trip. Thanks for the heads up advice.

Hi, you did say your buying the SIM card took place "years ago" and that laws maybe changed over time.

Yes, the laws did change. Americans no longer have to have a Brazilian register a SIM card for the American.

As I wrote, you simply go to a store in Brazil and present a copy of your passport and the clerk will register you along with the telephone number assigned to the SIM card.

Back in 2003, it was a pain to get a phone and phone number. Fortunately, those days are gone.

[TotallyOz]

Hi, you did say your buying the SIM card took place "years ago" and that laws maybe changed over time.

Yes, the laws did change. Americans no longer have to have a Brazilian register a SIM card for the American.

As I wrote, you simply go to a store in Brazil and present a copy of your passport and the clerk will register you along with the telephone number assigned to the SIM card.

Back in 2003, it was a pain to get a phone and phone number. Fortunately, those days are gone.

Good and maybe one day they will go to the Thai way, just buy one at 7-11.

[JunNJ]

I moved your question about phones into a new thread because your question does not related to the price of garotos at dinner or overnight.

It is called "hijacking" to bring up a new topic in an established thread.

Provided your telephone is truly "unlocked" from your carrier, you should be able to buy and use a SIM card in Brazil. You can buy SIM cards on the street but I would advise against that . This is because you have to register the SIM card and you will not understand what is being asked of you while registering. Also, you probably do not have a CPF number which you would need if you try to register a street purchased SIM card.

Alternatively, you can go to the telephone companies of the various telephone providers in Brazil and they will sell a SIM card to you and register it for you using your passport number. Therefore, be sure to make a copy of the data information of your passport so that you can bring the copy with you to whichever phone company you select. Don't bring your original passport.

Remember to bring your telephone with you to the phone company so that the agent can get the SIM card up and running.

I personally use TIM as my Brazil telephone carrier. TIM coverage is not as good as some other carriers in Brazil, but it is okay in most areas.

You must tell the telephone company that you want a "prepaid" or "prepago" plan. A prepaid plan costs about R3. daily on days you use the phone for data use.

If you call other telephone numbers that use the same telephone company provider you use, there will not be any charge or the charge will be only twenty-five centavos for the entire call up to one hour in duration. If you call to other cell numbers with different providers, you will pay as much as R$1.59 each minute.

Considering you plan to use a translator with the SIM card, you definitely need a data plan. Try to make this clear to the person at whichever telephone company you choose.

Don't be frustrated if the people at the phone company do not speak English. You can "wing it" and get the SIM card working in less than an hour from the time you first buy the card until it is functional.

Good luck

Hi Mvan,

I couldnt have thank you more for responding in details and properly move my question to new thread, I am still learning the forum.

and thanks to others helping other solo travellers like me ...I will do the same. :-)

[mvan1]

Hi Mvan,

I couldnt have thank you more for responding in details and properly move my question to new thread, I am still learning the forum.

and thanks to others helping other solo travellers like me ...I will do the same. :-)

Thank you for your very reasonable response to my copying your question then my using your question for the basis to start a new thread about cell phones in Brazil.

I hope that you will have an easy time when you decide which telephone carrier to use while in Brazil.

Considering the high probability that you will not find a telephone employee that knows English, be sure to prepare a translation in Portuguese requesting a prepaid SIM card then bring that translation, along with a copy of your passport, to the phone company outlet that you choose. Your having these documents will make it easy for you to accomplish the objective of getting a working Brazilian SIM card.

If you get a working SIM card for Brazil, please report back and let us know how things went. There will be others who might also want to obtain a Brazilian SIM card. Your experience will be an additional guide to those folks.

[RA1]

mvan1-

Thanks for all your posts. There is no such thing as too much detail if it is a subject about which I wish to learn. Many "technical" subjects intrigue me, such as this thread. Please continue any time as you please.

I admit to being a frequent hijacker or at least co-conspirator but never with malice aforethought. Only humor, implied or actual.

Best regards,

RA1

[mvan1]

mvan1-

Thanks for all your posts. There is no such thing as too much detail if it is a subject about which I wish to learn. Many "technical" subjects intrigue me, such as this thread. Please continue any time as you please.

I admit to being a frequent hijacker or at least co-conspirator but never with malice aforethought. Only humor, implied or actual.

Best regards,

RA1

Thank you for the kind words in your post.

[sfcastro]

Once you get the Brazil sim card, if you want to maintain it for future trip, you need to add money to your prepaid account usually at least once every three months otherwise the number will expire and you will need to get a new sim card once you return to Brazil. You can view your account online, along with the expiration date of the sim before you have to recharge, but be sure to get the password associated with your account when you are in Brazil (most cellular companies send you a text message with the password).

You can recharge the sim account using one of the many services that allow you to "Top Up" accounts in foreign countries. One challenge I have had is US credit cards are often declined. If you have this issue, consider using Paypal if you have an account and it is an option on the site as it works with no issues.

[mvan1]

Once you get the Brazil sim card, if you want to maintain it for future trip, you need to add money to your prepaid account usually at least once every three months otherwise the number will expire and you will need to get a new sim card once you return to Brazil. You can view your account online, along with the expiration date of the sim before you have to recharge, but be sure to get the password associated with your account when you are in Brazil (most cellular companies send you a text message with the password).

You can recharge the sim account using one of the many services that allow you to "Top Up" accounts in foreign countries. One challenge I have had is US credit cards are often declined. If you have this issue, consider using Paypal if you have an account and it is an option on the site as it works with no issues.

You brought up a good point. I had not touched on the recharge issue.

I am in Brazil so often that I do not run into the problem of my prepaid amount expiring.

Depending on how much “prepay” amount added to the SIM, the SIM remains valid for as little time as 30 days or as much as six months.

For example with TIM, if you recharge with amounts less than R$27, the prepaid amount is valid for only 30 days. If you recharge for R$27 the prepaid is valid for 90 days and if you recharge for R$50 or more, the prepaid amount is valid for six months.

Other carriers probably have different expiration times.

One reputable recharge company in the U S is a company called “Cloncom” and this company accepts credit cards for recharging foreign SIM cards. Here is a link to that company.

http://www.cloncom.com/?lct=s

[JunNJ]

Ok guys since i started the question here is what i did. I have unlocked iPhone from at&t i owned it and if u are not fully paid with your phone you wont be able to unlock it. You can request unlock via online. If you are on difff carrier google it how to unlock. I am in Rio right now, i went to Rio Sul Mall R15 by taxi at most. mall have lots of carriers to choose from. I chose Vivo since they have less customers to wait than claro or Oi. I asked for prepago sim card, it costs R10, then asked for plan that includes internet, the lowest is 250MB for R25. Total is R35, not bad am not planning to surf, only to use the google translate so it would be easy to interact with garotos. Turn off your phone before u insert sim card then power back on. When u r in the mall dont connect to their wifi use your vivo to test google translate, this is downloadabel app. When you use it, You dont even have to type if u wish, you can click on microphone and start saying the phrase and it will translate for u, not on a noisy environment. Ok i will get ready to checkout heading to SP Lagoa! TTYL